Arsenal's world class attacker could lead them to more Champions League glory

Could Arsenal go all the way in the Women's Champions League again? On Tuesday night, Renée Slegers' side took a gigantic step towards the last four, beating Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash at the Emirates. As has so often been the case in this season's tournament, Alessia Russo played a starring role.

This was the very first time these two fierce London rivals have ever met in UEFA competition, and it was certainly an entertaining affair.

The statistics were actually pretty even, in some instances favouring Chelsea, including the fact that Anneke Borbe made five saves to Hannah Hampton's three. Nevertheless, it was last season's final hero Stina Blackstenius who broke the deadlock, her glancing header connecting with a Katie McCabe free-kick. Ten minutes later, Chloe Kelly's long-range strike doubled the Gunners advantage; it was spectacular, but Hampton will surely feel she should've done better.

Lauren James did half the deficit with an astonishing strike of her own, but Russo was able to lash home a third later on, so how crucial could that goal prove to be? Well, the England international is the outright top-scorer in this season's Champions League, looking to become the first-ever English golden boot winner in the competition.

Women's Champions League 2025/26 top-scorers

Russo is clear in first place in the top-scorer's charts, ahead of some of the biggest names in women's football. She netted three times across the two legs against Oud-Heverlee Leuven in the first knockout round, also on target during games against Lyon, Benfica, and Real Madrid in the league phase, the latter a match-winning brace at Meadow Park.

Since arriving on a free transfer from Manchester United, Russo has now scored 52 goals in 102 appearances for the Gunners, a more than impressive ratio. In this first leg, she was deployed as part of a frightening front four by Slegers, alongside fellow-scorers Kelly and Blackstenius as well as Beth Mead.

When that quartet are all on song, there are very few defences in world football that can live with them, enhancing belief that Arsenal will be in Oslo on 23 May attempting to retain their Champions League title. First, they'll need to finish the job at Stamford Bridge, taking belief from their 2-0 win there in the WSL as recently as 24 January, albeit the two-goal buffer could be crucial.

After that, either Wolfsburg or Lyon would await in the semi-finals; die Wölfinnen won that first leg 1-0 at Volkswagen Arena. Being on the opposite side of the bracket to Barcelona is certainly good news, so could a rematch of last year's final in Lisbon be on the cards at the Ullevål? Well, with Russo scoring Champions League goals for fun, the sky is the limit for Arsenal.